On my nightstand

My book club met last week and we picked our next two books (for February and March). We also discussed having just a little bit more structure. We've been pretty loosey goosey for the last year or so. Mostly the changes are around how we select the next read and how much time we spend socializing at meetings vs. actually discussing the book.

We noted that the amount of time spent socializing is usually directly related to how good the book was and how anxious we were to actually discuss it. We decided that meetings start at 7:00, discussion starts promptly at 7:30. Then we have 1.5 hours to discuss. If the book was engaging, we will use the whole time. If it was not, we can re-convene the socializing and/or call it an evening.

We used to just have anyone who wanted to, bring a book or two to recommend and then we all just sort of agreed on one for the next month. They way it has worked out is that those of us who enjoy recommending books were the ones who were really driving the reading selections. Part of the reason why many of us joined the book group was so that we could get exposed to books that we might normally not have chosen for ourselves. We are thinking about having the person who hosts the group that night make the selection of the next book. It would be strongly suggested that they choose one on their own, but other people can come with ideas in case the hostess doesn't have anything to recommend, then she can choose from what others have suggested.

So I'm hosting in March and therefore may get to pick the book for April. If you have any suggestions,

I'd love to hear them. For February, we are reading A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley. Apparently there are some interesting comparisons between this story and King Lear. I'm going to explore that before I start reading (I just ordered the book so I won't get it until next week). One of the contributions I would like to make (and being the English major that I am) is to bring thoughts and questions about how the book relates to other works or to other situations. Depending on the book it is also interesting to bring some historical context to the discussion (like when we read The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant).

In March we will be reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. It is a story about a guy who joins a Depression-era circus. This is what I would call a departure for me so I'm really looking forward to it. It also only out in hardback which is not something that we normally do in our book club.

I'm thinking of 2 suggestions in case I get to choose for our April read. My first choice is The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer, a story about a fatherless boy who grows up around bars and learns many lessons there. The other choice that I'm thinking about is Purple Hibiscus by  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This story is difficult to describe, but takes place in Nigeria and is about a family with many issues.

I love my books. It's like an addiction for me. I can't get enough to read. I even love going to book stores just to be around new books. I love the way they feel and the way the binding cracks just a bit the first time it is opened.

Right now I'm reading Anne Frank, Diary of a Young Girl along with my 13 year old son who is reading with his 8th grade class. I have read it a couple of times already but it is the kind of story that you just need to read over and over again in different stages of your life to really appreciate. I'm enjoying the story again. Clearly a timeless story. My older son will be reading The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (an interesting choice for an all boys school, 10th grade class, don't you think?). They are reading White Fang by Jack London right now. I'm thinking that there will be a compare and contrast assignment somewhere down the line with this clearly masculine theme paired with the female dominated story of The Joy Luck Club. But that's just my guess.

My book club just finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. Here is a summary of the plot:

 

A snowstorm immobilizes Lexington, Ky., in 1964, and when young Norah Henry goes into labor, her husband, orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Henry, must deliver their babies himself, aided only by a nurse. Seeing his daughter's handicap, he instructs the nurse, Caroline Gill, to take her to a home and later tells Norah, who was drugged during labor, that their son Paul's twin died at birth. Instead of institutionalizing Phoebe, Caroline absconds with her to Pittsburgh. (taken from the Amazon listing)
 

While I was totally entertained and interested in the story, it certainly wasn't on my top books list. It is wrapped up a bit to neatly at the end for my taste. There are several side stories that are honestly more interesting than the main story which was disappointingly uncomplicated. One of the book club ladies said that it was a perfect made-for-TV-movie. I don't think that's far from the truth. It should be a beach read, not what I'm looking for in a dead of winter read.

I haven't posted much about my reading preferences and this post makes me want to let you in on what I've read and really enjoyed. When I go over to someone's house, I love to look at what is on their bookshelf. I think it is like getting a view into someone's personality that would be difficult and time consuming to get any other way.

Comments

[DrumsNWhistles]

To this day, if I mention the Joy Luck Club in the presence of my son he starts frothing at the mouth. He HATED it as much as I loved it. His description: "It's a chick book, through and through." He was completely offended that he was made to read it. And as I told him, no more offended than I at having to read The Most Hated Book of my whole life -- The Last of the Mohicans. :)

I loved A Thousand Acres. Not sure I get the King Lear analogy, but I thought it was a great book. :)

[Kathryn]

Wow, your post mentions so many great books, many of them my favorites. Like you, I've read Anne Frank's Diary multiple times. I'm truly amazed that a school, let alone an all-boys school, would assign "The Joy Luck Club". I think it's great. I have fond memories of reading that book when it first came out. It has a lot to say about parent-child relationships and generational differences.

"A Thousand Acres" is a wonderful book and will give your group a lot to talk about. The King Lear theme is definitely there and makes for another interesting layer to discuss.

I would highly recommend "The Tender Bar" to your group. It was one of the best books that I read last year--a great story with beautiful writing. I find memoirs can be tricky for book group discussion, but I think this one would lend itself very well. (You can read
my review of "The Tender Bar" here.)

And your comment about the perfect book for the dead of winter got me thinking...for me winter is always a time to catch up on a big, thick classic. I have "The Forsyte Saga" and "Man in the Iron Mask" sitting patiently waiting on my bookshelf. (Right now I'm tackling David McCullough's "John Adams".) I'm curious to know your idea of a good winter read?

[Margaret]

A friend of mine highly recommended Water for Elephants, so I put it on my library holds list. Have you ever read The Time Travelers Wife? That one was a huge departure for me, and I loved it. I was also riveted by Devil in the White City. Fascinating. I normally read mysteries, so if I recommend something out of that genre, it has to be great. (in my humble opinion)

[Donna]

Did you ever see the episode of Malcolm in the Middle where Lois joins a book club... which turns out to be merely an excuse for all the moms in the neighborhood to get together and drink? I can't help thinking of that when I think of BC's... and I'm envious that you're getting to do so much book reading! (A luxury in my household, I'm afraid.) I'd join a BC too -- except I have a feeling I'd be the one to turn it into the kind of club Lois belonged to.

[Catraggedy]

I just finished elephants... you'll have to let me know what you think.

[MotherPie]

SnowFlower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See is very good and I just finished it and wrote about it.

I've always had a book club until I moved to NYC. A group at a church we've visited (but not yet joined) is reading Elie Wiesal's Night so I picked it up tonight. Margaret Atwood spoke today.

I am such an avid bibliophile that living here in NYC without a bookshelf is a GREAT deprivation.